Chemotherapy, depending on the type of treatment, can cause the skin to become dry and itchy and even peel. To start with, the best way is to keep the skin deeply hydrated from the get-go. Apply lotion or emulsions slowly as if you’re warming up the skin. You can start by spreading it between the palms to warm the body temperature, then lightly cover the cheeks and gently press it slowly, spreading it in outwards motions. To apply around the eyes, simply use the pads of fingers to lightly press and circle around them, then press around nose and mouth to apply. At the end of your routine, cover your face with palms to fully absorb the remaining lotion or treatment.

Tip: Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid and dimethicone to help lock in the moisture in the skin.

With chemotherapy, your skin may become itchy, red, or darker and some may even develop photosensitivity. If you feel like you have a tendency to sunburn, then it’s important to apply sunscreen all over your face, neck, and body. Don’t forget spots that often get neglected like between the eyebrows, hairline, ears, eyelids, by the nose wings, lips, and jawline.

Alyssa is a Retail Education Manager at SLQC, and as a volunteer, she first started after witnessing the effects of the Leukemia treatments on her dad. “Helping people to look and feel good and be more confident with themselves brings me great satisfaction and joy. This is the reason why I’ve been in the beauty industry for 15 years and counting.” Given that experience in the beauty industry and spending time with cancer patients, she shares “On a daily basis, UV Protection is a must, even when they are indoors. Use products that boost hydration and mask regularly.”

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Chemotherapy might affect the skin in several ways, from redness, sores, rashes, to dark circles and maybe added dullness. Alyssa shares, “The common skin concerns amongst these patients are very dry and delicate skin that is also uneven with pigmentation. For some cancer survivors, the pigmentation doesn’t go away after their treatments too.”

If you’re looking to conceal these marks, instead of going straight to a heavy-duty foundation, consider colour-correcting your base first. As a guide: green tones counteract redness, yellow tones conceal slight dullness as well as dark circles and spots, and orange tones address severe dullness.

Conventional foundations may have difficulty concealing dullness and scars that can come up as a side effect of treatments. Specialised cover foundations, on the other hand, offer full-coverage with a natural finish so that it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin.

Alyssa also recommends, “As the skin is very delicate, it is important to be very gentle. When applying makeup, opt for tools which are softer and more gentle to the skin. And if the skin is really very sensitive, use fingers instead of makeup tools. Gently pat on the makeup and not rub it on.”

While hair loss is a commonly known side effect of chemotherapy, eyebrows are another area that can affect someone’s confidence. Alyssa shares, “When drawing the brows, apply some powder over the area as a base. It will help the pigments to sit better as compared to applying directly on bare skin.”

To find ideal position of your eyebrows, just place your right index finger along the left side of nose so your fingertip is at the depression under the browbone. Place the tip of the left index finger on top (right angle) to find the start of the eyebrow and mark it with an eyebrow pencil, then place the eyebrow pencil horizontally to find the start of the other eyebrow. Follow basic eyebrow proportions to mark the arch and end of the eyebrow.

Connect the marks with eyebrow powder with the brush by gently gliding in one direction. Slowly applying little by little to add thickness to the desired shape. Then use an eyebrow pencil to lightly draw short lines blend outline. Be sure to keep the centre of your brows slightly darker for a more natural look.

A touch of colour can help add a healthy flush to the skin. While you can opt for the apple of the cheeks, you can also try to apply it high along the cheekbones and closer to the sides of your face for a more natural flush and contour. Dust or pat the remaining blush lightly across the nose bridge for a ‘sunburned’ look.

To keep the skin hydrated while gently and effectively removing makeup, it’s best to stick to oil or emulsion-based cleansers and removers. Simply spread the solution between the palms and wrap your hands around the cheeks before spreading it over the entire skin from the centre in slow circular motions moving outwards. Then, rinse with cool or lukewarm water and avoiding rubbing or tugging the skin. For long-lasting eye makeup, opt for eye makeup remover to prevent sensitive reactions to the solution.

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Unfortunately, hair loss is one of the more prominent side effects of chemotherapy treatments. If you prefer to keep as much of your hair as possible during the treatment, shortening the hair gradually can help prevent fallen hair from becoming tangled. And if you want to opt for wigs, try comparing wigs to your current hairstyle for a more natural-looking wig. At home, you can also use cotton hats that are gentle to the touch so they don’t irritate the skin.

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